Pleasing Performances At Primary Schools' Concert

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 15

Pleasing Performances At Primary Schools' Concert

A large and happy group of children from Addington, Cashmere, Christchurch South Intermediate, Hoon Hay, Somerfield, Sydenham, and West Spreydon Schools sang as the massed choir in last evening’s concert in the Civic Theatre and their work was a credit to themselves and to those who had trained them. Fresh tone and confident attack . were heard right at the beginning in Beethoven’s "Morning Praise,” and this pleasing vitality augured well for a successful evening. The junior semi-massed choir sang most pleasingly in ‘‘The Kangaroo” and managed to put plenty of bounce into their performance. “Bill Bones’ Hornpipe” had a cheery nautical roll and the canonic treatment of “Hot Cross Buns” was clear and effective. The senior semi-massed choir sang with very good tone and intelligent use of expression and their items were deservedly popular with the audience. The somewhat more mature voices had a pleasant roundness of quality and there was a bright rhythmic liveliness to the singing. Instrumental items had been well prepared and the children had a good sense of team-work with regard to balance and close attention to rhythmic requirements. These items gave variety and the work done in preparation of them will be of lasting benefit to the children. Some quite astonishing varieties of instruments were heard. Intonation was mainly quite good. ■The choir work from individual schools was well done and the choice of items showed imagination. The general improvement in the school choirs both in tone and in keeping in time has been quite marked in this year's festival. There seems to be more secure breath

control and closer listening for attacking notes with confident accuracy. Mr Keith Newson, the conductor of the festival, could well be pleased with these children, for they followed his expressive directions with exemplary attention. Some pf the very soft singing was quite delightful. The children have learned to keep their tone alive and firm at pianissimo level. Those teachers who have worked hard far a long time preparing children in their own schools for this concert must feel gratified that their efforts have been so successfully rewarded. —C.F.B.